EP 582 327 discloses a method for freezing aqueous liquids, wherein the liquid is introduced into a pro-cooled single part mould such that the aqueous liquid once frozen can be readily released from the mould as a unitary structure.
It is desirable to be able to make ice confectionary products which are of increasingly complex shapes, such as spheres, fruit shapes. In order to manufacture such products a mould is required which comprises greater than one part. However, we have found that when the process disclosed in EP 582 327 is used to manufacture a frozen ice confection product in a multi-part or split mould a number of problems are encountered with the release of the product.
In particular when used within a continuous process an ice layer forms between the sections of the multi-part or split mould making it difficult to both adequately close the mould prior to dosing the product to be shaped and frozen and also to open the mould in order to readily release the product.
Surprisingly we have found that if the empty mould is exposed to a cryogenic liquid before dosing the liquid to be frozen, an ice layer no longer forms at the interface between the mould parts and the mould can both be adequately closed and the product can be readily released at the end of the process.